Envelop-clasp.



N0. 803,631. PATENTED NOV. 7, 1905.

J. A. SHERMAN.

ENVELOP CLASP. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 22, 1904.

\A/ ITNEEEEE UNITED STATES PATENT OFF ICE.

ENVELOP-CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. '7, 1905.

Application filed August 22,1904- Serial No. 221 79L To all w/wm it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN A. SHERMAN, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Envelop-Glasps, of which the following is a specification.

In commercial houses, such as dry-goods stores, where often many thousands of claspenvelops are closed and fastened daily, it is essential that the operation of closing and fastening shouldbe easily and quickly accomplished and that the envelops and clasps when in an open condition should occupy as little bulk as possible.

My invention relates especially to afastener which fulfils these conditions; and it consists, essentially,in two superposed tongues attached to the body of the envelop and lying flush therewith, which are adapted to be thrust through an opening in the flap, one of the tongues to be folded or bent down onto the flap,'and thus fasten the same to the body.

My invention will be readily understood by reference to the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of an envelop to which a clasp embodying my invention is attached, showing the same in an open position. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3isa plan view with the clasp closed. Fig. 4. is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the different members of the clasp in section.

Referring to the drawings, A is an attaching member or base which, as shown, consists of an ordinary eyelet of usual construction. Extending from the flange of the eyelet, and preferably constructed integral therewith, is the tongue B. Immediately below the tongue B is a second tongue 0, having an enlarged end or attaching member D of its own, in which is a hole E of such a size as to enable the rim of the eyeletA to pass through the same. The tongue B is preferably constructed slightly longer than the tongue C in order that when it is desired to close the envelop by bending the upper tongue down onto the flap of the envelop the tongue may be readily caught by the finger-nail without catching the tongue 0 at the same time.

F is a reinforced opening in the flap, which is adapted to receive the tongues when it is desired to close the envelop.

To operate my invention, the eyelet A is thrust through the hole E in the enlarged end of the tongue C. The two tongues being superposed and pointing toward the flap of the envelop, the eyelet A is then set in the body of the envelop in any well-known manner. This setting results in attaching the two superposed tongues to the body of the envelop in such a position that they lie substantially flush with the same and do not extend away from the surface and cause the envelope to occupy a large bulk when piled one upon the other.

To close the envelop, the fi'apis folded down over the body and the tongues thrust through the hole F in the flap, when the upper arid longer tongue B is folded back and down onto the flap by catching the end of the tongue B with the finger-nail.

IVhile I have described my invention as using an attaching means consisting of an eyelet, 1 do not wish to limit myself to that construction alone, as it is apparent that any well-known means may be used to attach the tongues to the body without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is 1. A fastener having a base to rest on the surface of the material to which the fastener is to be secured, means for securing said base to said material, and two tongues connected with the base, said tongues being superposed and substantially parallel with each other, the upper tongue extending out beyond the end of the other.

2. A fastener for envelop-flaps, orthelike, comprising two superposed tongues, attaching members for each of said tongues, said tongues mounted thereon, to lie, when in dis engaging position, substantially parallel to the plane of the material to which the attaching members are attached, and one of said tongues being reversely foldable in fastening.

3. A fastener for envelop flaps, or the like, comprising two superposed tongues attaching members for each of said tongues, said tongues mountedthereon, to lie, when in dis engaging position, substantially parallel to the plane of the material to which the attaching members are attached, one of said tongues being longer than the other and reversely foldable in fastening.

JOHN A. SHERMAN.

In presence of- SUSAN L. SIBLEY, J. EDWARD SHERMAN. 

